WAVE wins award

Whistler transit system recognized for service during Christmas holidays

The Whistler Valley and Express (WAVE) transit system was
recognized today (June 12) in Halifax, Nova Scotia by the Canadian Urban
Transit Association (CUTA) for its exceptional performance during the 2006-07
holiday period.

During a 14-day holiday period over Christmas, 291,000
passengers rode the WAVE transit system, an average of more than 20,000
passengers per day and more than 78 passengers per hour of service.

Since the most recently published peak month ridership figure
in Greater Vancouver (February 2005) was 35.1 for all TransLink modes and the
peak month ridership performance (September 2005) was 39.6 passengers per
service hour in Greater Victoria, the WAVE operated for a sustained
two-week period at double the peak performance level of the two largest transit
systems in B.C., using smaller buses.

"This award is for the drivers," Mayor Ken Melamed
said in a release. "Whistler Transit drivers and management provide
exceptional service day in and out, 23 hours a day, whatever the weather. I
take the bus regularly because it provides reliable, friendly service and helps
me get around Whistler in a very environmentally friendly way."

The National Transit Corporate Recognition Awards are selected
by a national committee of transit professionals from nominations by local
employees. Whistler was one of six services recognized for outstanding
achievement/exceptional performance, along with Toronto, Windsor, Thunder Bay,
Laval and Charlottetown.

The WAVE also won a CUTA award last year for the
Squamish-Whistler commuter service.

The WAVE transit system celebrated its 15-year
anniversary Dec. 1, 2006. It operates 67,579 service hours a year,
from 5:25 a.m. through 3:15 a.m. every day, year round, serving a full time
population of 9,600 and a daytime winter population of 24,000 with 25 small
(30- and 35-foot) buses.